Quick Review of my Shelf... (3)

Lamentation

By: Ken Scholes

Publisher: Tor

Published Date: February 2009

Recommendation: Yes! Yes! Yes! To follow a story from different characters view point and try to figure out the bigger picture.

First Sentence:

Windwir is a city of paper and robes and stone.

Book Synopsis:

An ancient weapon has completely destroyed the Androfrancine city of Windwir. From many miles away, Rudolfo, Lord of the Ninefold Forest Houses, sees the horrifying column of smoke rising. He knows that war is coming to the Named Lands.

Nearer to the Desolation, a young apprentice is the only survivor of the city - Nebios sat witing for his father outside the walls and was transformed as he watched everyone he knew die in an instant.

To the south, Petronus, the Hidden Pope of the Androfrancine Order, also sees the column of devastation. He knows that he cannot turn away from his Order an longer.

And within sight of Windwir sits Sethbert, the Overseer of the Entrolusian City States, gloating over what he believes is the triumph of his plan to dominate the Named Lands. At his side, though, is Lady Jin Li Tam - her father's pawn in the game f statecraft, but destined to become her own Queen on the board.

Soon all the Kingdoms of the Named Lands will be at one another's throats, as alliances are challenged or collapse, and the hidden plots of many powers are revealed.

My Thoughts:

Okay, I am going to try and make this short and sweet. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the second book in this series to come out, it will be in stores October 13, 2009 ~ very, very soon ~ and I am reviewing my notes and thoughts on the book to be ready to dive right into the next book.

This story to me is like the Whymer Mazes used as a meditation device by the Androfrancines. The maze circle that seems to never end and always turns back on to itself. I loved this story, there's always a mystery to figure out. Who and why did they destroy the city of Windwir, the home to the Androfrancines who protected the rest of the people in the world from the technology and dark pieces that could be used to destroy the world and only trickling out the small pieces of information they feel the people of the world can handle.

There is talk of an ancient Wizard whom created the Seven Cacophonic Deaths, which no one is to know what the words are inorder to protect everyone and anyone from causing distruction.

However, the book starts right off with the distruction of Windwir and only one metal man from the city, being fully functional, seems to have somewhere in his memory some idea yet no idea as to what happened on that tragic day. Isaak is the name given to this metal man.

There are many creative secrets in this book, such as the letters with secret messages intertwined within, the tapping out of messages while talking to another person on their skin, and the wonderous magic of running so fast and not being seen either running or standing still. Then you have Isaak the metal man, who is powered by a constant steam source.

I loved the writing style of a view from each characters point of view. When I first say this was the writing style I was nervous that information would be lost in the translation. After I read through this book so far, I did start taking notes so I didn't forget all the wonderous details to help with the mystery, but found that I really liked the way the author wrote this with the point of views. I actually got more details from seeing and knowing what each character did.

Did the right man pay the price for the distruction of the city? Could he have weaved the web that you see in this book? The further you go in the book the more intricate the web becomes. The more I thought on the book after reading and trying to piece together information from through out the whole book I have a very my idea of what is going on. I am curious to read what really happens. I had a wonderful time piecing the pieces together and making the story go the way I think it may.

***Also, Krista over at Life_or_Something_Like_It... is having a contest for 4 different books. This book is one of those great books. If you would like to take a chance to win Lamentation stop by and enter. Contest ends October 31.***